Logos Bible Study

Proverbs 23:2

The NET BibleOther versions

English

Arabic

Czech

French

German

Hebrew

Hungarian

Italian

Korean

Latin

Portuguese

Russian

Simplified Chinese

Spanish

Traditional Chinese

23:2and put a knife to your throat3

if you possess a large appetite.4

Read in Logos

Footnotes

  1. 3 The expression “put a knife to your throat” is an idiom that means “curb your appetite” or “control yourself” (cf. ). The instruction was from a time when people dealt with all-powerful tyrants. To enter the presence of such a person and indulge one’s appetites would be to take a very high risk.
  2. 4 Heb “lord of appetite.” The idiom בַּעַל נֶפֶשׁ (ba’al nefesh) refers to someone who possesses a large appetite (cf. “a ravenous appetite”). A person with a big appetite is in danger of taking liberties when invited to court.

In other versions

ESVEnglish Standard Version

and put a knife to your throat

if you are given to appetite.

NIVNew International Version (2011)

and put a knife to your throat

if you are given to gluttony.

CSBChristian Standard Bible

and put a knife to your throat

if you have a big appetite;

NLTNew Living Translation

If you are a big eater,

put a knife to your throat;

LEBThe Lexham English Bible

and you shall put a knife to your throat

if you have a big appetite.

KJV 1900King James Version

And put a knife to thy throat,

If thou be a man given to appetite.